Currently, the state of the art for firing a frangible projectile typically involves the use of compressed gas. Compressed gas is released to fire a projectile from an apparatus using the expansion of the gas to propel the projectile. In addition to frangible projectiles, such as paintballs, other non-lethal projectiles (BBs, pellets, air-soft pellets/BBs, darts, etc.) are also fired from devices powered by compressed gases, such as carbon dioxide and air.
Paintball markers are primarily used for paintball gaming. In paintball gaming, a player normally carries a paintball marker typically outfitted with a compressed gas tank and a hopper containing a supply of paintballs. It is not unusual for a player to carry an additional supply of paintballs for use, as well as extra compressed gas tanks. Currently, compressed gas tanks, such as CO2 tanks, are limited to a relatively small number of shots. As paintball marker technology has developed, the firing rates of markers have increased, thereby requiring more compressed gas. Since tank size is limited, players are required to carry extras for a lengthy game session. Increasing substantially the number of shots-per-tank would reduce or eliminate the need to carry extra tanks. Such an increase would also reduce time spent on changing tanks in the field and/or on refilling tanks for subsequent use.